Bruce backs Cole to win promotion

Steve Bruce has backed Andy Cole to use his experience to help Birmingham make an immediate return to the Barclays Premiership after signing on loan from Portsmouth for the rest of the season.

Blues boss Bruce and Cole were team-mates at Manchester United and the 35-year-old former England striker, who has made only nine first-team starts for Pompey since a £500,000 move from Manchester City in August, approached manager Harry Redknapp over his frustration at not playing regularly.

Redknapp has allowed Cole to join promotion-chasing Birmingham until the end of the season, and Bruce said: "We hope that, with his extra quality up front, we can secure the promotion we are so desperate for."

He added: "We are absolutely delighted to bring Andy in for our Championship run-in. He is an exceptional player with a phenomenal goalscoring record.

"We feel his experience will prove very beneficial to the team, particularly as we have so many young players.

"Despite his age, he has always looked after himself and that is why he is still playing at the highest level."